Michael Clarke deemed fit enough to play in Boxing Day Test

And the Australian skipper will not have to test his hamstring too much early after Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene won the toss and chose to bat on an MCG strip that looks likely to offer some early assistance to the hosts' pacemen.

Just 11 days after injuring his hamstring in the first Test against Sri Lanka, the Australian skipper has this morning pulled up well from fitness tests on Christmas Day and has been declared fit.

Clarke has maintained, read hoped, he would be fit since hobbling off retired hurt during the first innings in Hobart.

But even the skipper wasn't convinced until waking well today from a searching series of workouts yesterday.

Michael Clarke will prove himself in Boxing Day Test

AUSTRALIAN skipper Michael Clarke will be given as long as possible to prove his fitness for today's Boxing Day Test at the MCG against Sri Lanka.

Clarke injured his hamstring against the tourists while batting in the first test at Hobart in the second innings.

Usman Khawaja has been called in to the squad on standby if the skipper does not make it in time.

Coach Mickey Arthur, who will delay naming the final team until the toss of the coin this morning, rated Clark 50-50 at a press conference on Monday, but the man himself was not ruling himself out.